The Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific in the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT RRC.AP) has wrapped up a crucial series of high-level missions across South Asia, spanning Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. The initiative focused on gathering essential insights to shape future regional strategies for combating air pollution.​

The Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific in the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT RRC.AP) has wrapped up a crucial series of high-level missions across South Asia, spanning Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. The initiative focused on gathering essential insights to shape future regional strategies for combating air pollution.​

To complement the policy dialogues, the AIT RRC.AP team also conducted capacity-building workshops on air quality management in Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Bhutan, helping to enhance local technical skills. In a key technical exchange, the team visited the Air Quality Monitoring Station-1 in Thimphu, Bhutan, demonstrating a commitment to practical, on-the-ground understanding of monitoring efforts.

The missions involved extensive meetings with senior government figures across the region: 

• Sri Lanka: On June 3, 2025, discussions took place with officials from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, including Mr. Samith Weliwatta, Additional Secretary for Natural Resources, and Mrs. Pathma Abeykoon, Additional Secretary for Environment Policy and Planning. The following day, June 4, 2025, the team met with leaders of the Central Environment Authority (CEA): Director General Mr. Padmasiri Moonamale and Chairman Prof. Tilak Hewawasam.
  
• Maldives: The team met Permanent Secretary Mr. Ajwad Musthafa of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, and Deputy Director General Ms. Miruza Mohamed in Malé  on July 22, 2025.​
• Nepal: Consultations included meeting Mr. Dhirendra Kr. Pradhan, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, and Mr. Gyan Raj Subedi, Director General of the Department of Environment, on August 17, 2025; and meeting Mr. Ashish Tiwari, the Air Lead at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) on August 18, 2025.​
• Bhutan: Engagement included Mr. Sonam Tashi, Director of the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, on August 20, 2025.
  
• Bangladesh: Meetings were held with Mr. Mohammad Tariful Bari, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and team on August 24, 2025, and academic Prof. Abdus Salam, Dean of Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka, on August 25, 2025.
  

The findings and stakeholder inputs gathered during these missions are now being integrated into the Scoping Study, set to guide the next phase of collaborative action against air pollution in South Asia.